Folklore in Context, & a festschrift in honor of Shamsuzzaman Khan, is a collection of essays featuring the current trends of folklore scholarship. The topics covered present, through compelling narrative and with analytical skill, a fascinating story of the depth and intricacy of functional and innovative acts inherent in folklore. It is, therefore, an embodiment of socially transmitted knowledge and behavior patterns and of practices and creativity.

This book collects essays spawned directly or indirectly by England's overseas ventures. Beginning with an essay that traces Bacon's influence on English colonization and the impact of his thought on English imperialism, it focuses on proponents of empire such as Daniel Defoe and opponents of the excesses of empire building such as Burke. It includes discussions of the writings of English women and men in British India such as the relatively unknown Eliza Fay and major literary figures such as Rudyard Kipling and George Orwell.